TUI Cape Verde: Tourism group fully investigating claims as High Court to hear case of 300 Brits who fell ill on holiday
TUI says it is fully investigating after four Brits fell severely ill and died while on holiday in Cape Verde.
Elena Walsh, 64, from Birmingham, Mark Ashley, from Bedfordshire, Karen Pooley, 64, from Gloucestershire, and a 56-year-old man died in the space of four months last year following a visit to Cape Verde, an island nation off the West Africa coast. They are four of six Brits who have died in the nation since 2023, and among thousands who say they fell ill with debilitating gastric symptoms, including diarrhea, while visiting on holidays.
Families of those six are now seeking damages from Tui, with which they had booked their holidays through. Emma Ashley, the widow of Mr Ashley, said she and her husband had booked their more than £3,000 holiday with the firm. But her husband "became violently ill", and she reported his symptoms with Tui on October 9, but they continued when they returned to the UK, and he died after collapsing at their Houghton Regis home on November 12.
Ms Pooley, who had also paid more than £3,000 for her two-week-long trip to the country through Tui, died after four days of sickness - during which she slipped on water from a leaky fridge and was airlifted to a hospital in Tenerife for urgent care. Her initial death certificate concluded she had died of multiple organ failure, sepsis, cardio-respiratory arrest and a broken left leg.
Officials are yet to identify what she and others who have died or fallen ill were struck down with during the visit. But, Tui has said it is investigating the claims after their families and thousands of other people sought legal representation from Irwin Mitchell.
A Tui spokesperson said the firm is fully investigating the claims being made, and has assured that customers who fall ill while on holiday have access to appropriate care and assistance. The provider added that sometimes people who fall ill won't report their sickness or seek Tui support during their stays, limiting what it can offer them.
The first class action court case from holidaymakers who say they fell ill on holiday in Cape Verde will start in the High Court on Wednesday 4 February. A timetable will be set out to hear the claim from guests who all stayed at the Riu Palace Santa Maria. All booked their holidays with TUI. TUI has denied responsibility.
Several other group actions involving UK holidaymakers who fell ill in Cape Verde after booking through TUI are expected to be listed in the coming months, Irwin Mitchell says.